Ask Ken: Be appreciative of the greatest gift of all

This week most of us will be celebrating Christmas in our traditional ways. Most of us it will be busy traveling, exchanging gifts, attending holiday parties, church programs, and getting together with family and friends.

Last week as we were doing some of our Christmas gift-wrapping, I reflected back on one of my Christmases past as a child.

During my childhood, my parents were always concerned about treating my sister, brother, and me fairly and not showing any favoritism, especially at Christmas.

I was only about seven years old and my younger brother and I had always gotten the same things for Christmas. You know, the traditional matching Christmas pajamas, sweaters or shirts and slacks and the same toy.

That Christmas was different though. Oh, we still got those matching pajamas and clothes, but that year we each got a big toy. He got a big red Tonka front-end loader and I got a big orange Tonka road grader.

It was really neat, but my expectations were that we would each get the same. So after all of the presents were opened, the boxes and wrapping paper were piled high, but I didn't see my front-end loader, I looked around the room and asked, "Is that all?"

I will never forget the look on my dad's face; it lit up like a flashing red flare. You have to understand my dad was a patient and calm person, but I had tripped his trigger.

"Is that all? Do you realize how lucky you are? There are a lot of kids who would appreciate half of what you've gotten."

What I had not realized at that point is the cost of the toys and the sacrifices my parents had made to make that a special Christmas by buying us those big Tonkas. I now know how much I had hurt his feelings.

Why is this my most memorable Christmas past? Maybe it is because I realized you shouldn't expect getting everything you want and that you need to be thankful for every gift you receive. I learned the true meaning of Christmas and realized you can't have everything someone else has.

Christmas is a time of expectations and many times we expect too much. When someone asks us what we want, we expect that we will get it and will be disappointed if we don't receive it.

I also learned that sometimes you have to be a gracious receiver and be thankful for what you are given.

Maybe it is time we reflect on the real meaning of Christmas. After all, the first Christmas was pretty simple. The expectations were high, the reality simple. We were given the greatest gift of all: God's gift of his son. And all we have to do is be willing to accept it graciously.

And that is the greatest gift of Christmas past, Christmas present, and Christmas future. Celebrate it with all of your family and friends.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Email this article

Ask Ken: Be appreciative of the greatest gift of all

This week most of us will be celebrating Christmas in our traditional ways. Most of us it will be busy traveling, exchanging gifts, attending holiday parties, church programs, and getting together

A link to this page will be included in your message.

Join Our Team!

If you are interested in working for an innovative media company, you can learn more by visiting: